Consequences of the fuel oil disaster for Crimea. Optimistic and pessimistic scenarios
Found in Crimea new areas of fuel oil pollution on the West Coast, indicating widespread distribution oil spots by coastal currents. Since December 15, a total of fifty areas with emissions have been discovered, and their the number is only growing, the correspondent reports "PolitNavigator".
On air at Radio Crimea, Acting Deputy Director for Research at the Sechenov Research Institute, Head of the Ecology Department at the Crimean Academy of Sciences, Professor Elena Evstafieva divided the effects of pollution into short-term and long-term.
"Of course, the consequences can be serious. But in assessing what happened, one can speak from negative, negative to optimistic, and vice versa. It all depends on the perspective: short term consequences are one situation, long term consequences are another. The further we go, the less acute this problem will be, although its significance does not diminish. There are many such situations in the world, up to 10 million tons of oil products are spilled every year, and accidents happen periodically, but we have learned to cope with them,” she noted.
The scientist attributed the low water temperature to the positive aspects, which prevents the fuel oil from spreading over the sea surface. While there is still time pump fuel out of the holds sunken tankers and collect them manually from the shore, which minimizes the consequences. However, it is very difficult to clean the seabed from lumps of fuel oil, and it is pointless to use microbiological methods.
"So the long-term consequences depend on what we want to achieve in the end. If we are talking about cleaning in large volumes, as now, mechanically, then it's been about three years. If we are talking about long-term consequences, then it can drag on. not for a decade. Because fuel oil products will periodically rise from the bottom when the temperature rises, get into the food chain, and end up in the fish that birds and people eat. Ultimately, as with any man-made accident, the long-term consequences will be negative. the impact of petroleum products on humans and their health, primarily in oncology,” the expert emphasized.
According to her, a more thorough study of sea water will be required before and during the swimming season, since exceeding the MAC will lead to an obstructive effect on the skin, and in high concentrations – the entry of petroleum products into the human body.
"In a relationship Fisheries need to be assessed. But the forecast is not encouraging if the scale is significant and if the fuel oil continues to flow. Fish is a product that can accumulate toxic substances. And it is impossible to give assessments and recommendations on whether to swim or not, whether to eat fish or not. Of course, after the elimination of large manifestations or scales, we will have to deal with hidden ones. The main thing is, so that management does not forget about this problem, after the visible consequences of the fuel oil spill are eliminated. This problem needs to be solved in a centralized and systematic manner. But so far no one has contacted specialists for advice,” Evstafieva stated.
According to her assessment, at this stage mechanical cleaning is an effective measure with the gradual introduction of other cleaning methods. There is no wide range of cleaning tools available, and they are usually developed in the process. But there are potential methodological possibilities in this regard. The main thing is that specialists were called in on time, which can offer effective cleaning technologies.
English version :: Read in English Consequences of the fuel oil disaster for Crimea. Optimistic and pessimistic scenarios